[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 260135
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-260400-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
930 PM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004

...VOLUNTARY EVACUATION OF MOBILE HOMES RECOMMENDED FOR THE MIDDLE
AND UPPER KEYS...
...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER
KEYS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
UPDATED STORM SURGE INFORMATION.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM
OCEAN REEF TO THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE...INCLUDING THE
ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS AND FLORIDA BAY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH
MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA
WITHIN 36 HOURS. THERE ARE NO TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT ANY
PORTION OF THE FLORIDA KEYS NOR FLORIDA BAY AT THIS TIME.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 900 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JEANNE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 145 MILES
NORTHEAST OF OCEAN REEF...AND ABOUT 55 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF FORT
PIERCE FLORIDA. JEANNE IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE WITH
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE CENTER MAKES
LANDFALL. JEANNE IS MOVING WEST TO WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH. ON
THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF JEANNE WILL REACH THE FLORIDA EAST COAST
TONIGHT. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT 951 MB...OR
28.08 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS RECOMMENDED A VOLUNTARY
EVACUATION FOR ALL MOBILE HOMES BETWEEN THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO THE
MONROE DADE COUNTY LINE. EMERGENCY SHELTERS ARE OPEN IN THE UPPER
KEYS...AT THE KEY LARGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL...AND IN THE MIDDLE
KEYS...AT THE STANLEY SWITLIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HOWEVER...DUE TO
ALREADY POOR CONDITIONS...RESIDENTS IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS
SHOULD LIMIT TRAVEL ON ROAD WAYS...UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
THERE ARE NO MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS IN EFFECT FOR THE KEYS AT
THIS TIME. GREYHOUND BUS HAS SUSPENDED BUS SERVICE UNTIL CONDITIONS
ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE KEYS IMPROVE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS WILL EXPERIENCE WEST WINDS
NEAR 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH IN SQUALLS. TRAVEL FOR HIGH
PROFILE VEHICLES IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED THE REMAINDER OF THIS
EVENING...TONIGHT...INTO MOST OF SUNDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT WITHIN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. IN THE
ATLANTIC WATERS OFF THE UPPER AND MIDDLE KEYS TONIGHT AND
SUNDAY...WINDS OF 30 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE
GUSTS. SEAS WILL BE 8 TO 12 FEET OUTSIDE THE REEF...AND 3 TO 4 FEET
INSIDE THE REEF. FLORIDA BAY AND NEARSHORE WATERS WILL BE EXTREMELY
ROUGH.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE CURRENTLY AROUND ONE FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ON THE BAYSIDE OF
MARATHON. WATER LEVELS UP TO 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDES ARE POSSIBLE
IN EASTERN FLORIDA BAY ON SUNDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY AROUND JEWFISH
CREEK. OTHERWISE...NO SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS WITH THE PASSAGE OF HURRICANE JEANNE. THE NEXT HIGH
TIDE AT VACA CUT WILL OCCUR AT 7:49 SUNDAY MORNING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANE JEANNE
IN THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1130 PM EDT.

$$

SD



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